The Enquirer wrote
Columbus arena a blast
BY DANIEL LEE
Sunday, April 13, 2008
On game nights in Columbus, fans throng the downtown Arena District, a historic section that once held a 19th-century train station and a prison, but which is now reborn with boutique shopping, restaurants, a theater, upscale hotels and a thriving nightlife. A strong police presence is on hand to help with traffic, questions and security, and parking garages just across the street from Nationwide Arena are well-lighted and secure.
Inside, the clean, modern arena is filled with concessions and souvenir stands, paintballs slap against canvas at a target-practice tent, trucks destined to be given away glisten under the lights, and the walls are lined with mementoes of the Destroyers, who won their division last season, and the National Hockey League Columbus Blue Jackets.
But the action isn’t all on the field. Nationwide Arena anchors a bustling retail and entertainment district that gives visitors plenty to do and see without ever hearing that first referee’s whistle. From breakfast specialists Rise & Shine Restaurant to BD’s Mongolian Barbeque, there’s no shortage of dining options.
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